Knee Board decisions

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including an audiometric examination and a Statement of the Case regarding the issue of service connection for hearing loss. The initial disability rating claim will also be remanded.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for tinnitus is granted. The Board finds no reason to doubt the Veteran's credibility and concludes that he began experiencing ringing in his ears while in service, which continues to this day.

The Board finds that service connection for obstructive sleep apnea is warranted. The Veteran's right knee disorder was not granted, but the issues were otherwise resolved in his favor.

The Board has reopened the claim and granted service connection for low back disability, left knee disability, and right knee disability due to new evidence showing a relationship between current conditions and service.

The Veteran's claims for increased ratings for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, as well as his claims for service connection for a lumbar spine disorder and a bilateral knee disorder were all denied. The Veteran was not granted any initial evaluations or service connections.

The Board has decided to remand the case for a new VA examination and opinion regarding the etiology of the Veteran's current right knee disability, as the previous examiner's reliance on lack of medical evidence from service until many years later is inadequate.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for service connection of degenerative joint disease of the left knee is denied as there was no prior claim filed before May 18, 2009. The RO granted service connection in December 2010 and assigned a 10% rating, effective from May 18, 2009.

The Board denied the Veteran's claims for higher ratings for his right wrist carpal tunnel syndrome with ulnar neuropathy, as well as his requests for earlier effective dates and TDIU. The disability was rated at 10 percent prior to December 18, 2006, and at 30 percent beginning that date.

The Veteran's service connection claim for an acquired psychiatric disorder, to include PTSD, mood disorder, major depressive disorder, and anxiety disorder is granted. The Board finds that the evidence supports a finding of service connection based on inservice sexual assault.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's tinnitus is attributable to his in-service noise exposure. Service connection was not granted for bilateral hearing loss disability, hypertension (to include as due to diabetes mellitus Type II), or right knee disability.

The Veteran's claim for a rating in excess of 60 percent for intervertebral disc syndrome (IVDS) beginning October 20, 2014 is denied as there are no allegations or evidence of unfavorable ankylosis of the entire spine.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development, including obtaining updated VA treatment records and scheduling a VA examination to evaluate the severity of her right foot and ankle disabilities. The case will also be reviewed to determine if she meets the threshold criteria for a TDIU or if it should be submitted to the Director of Compensation Service under 38 C.F.R. � 4.16(b).

The Board found no evidence of hearing loss or tinnitus in service and denied the Veteran's claims for bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and a bilateral knee disability.,The Veteran's current bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus were not related to his military service.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development due to insufficient medical opinions regarding the cause of the Veteran's left knee and left ankle disabilities.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's current left knee degenerative arthritis was permanently worsened by an injury sustained during INACDUTRA in December 2004, and thus service connection is granted.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for additional development of his claims, including obtaining VA and SSA records, conducting examinations, and reviewing the medical evidence.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities are of such severity as to effectively preclude all forms of substantially gainful employment for which the Veteran's education and occupational experience would otherwise qualify him.

The Board has granted service connection for type II diabetes mellitus. Further development is needed to address the Veteran's claims for hypertension and right knee disability.

The Veteran's initial rating for a left knee disorder remains at 10 percent, with no higher ratings granted due to the current evidence not meeting criteria for more severe instability or arthritis.

The Board has remanded the case due to incomplete records and scheduling issues for a VA examination. The Veteran's claim is still active as he was granted an initial 10 percent disability rating.